This summer, my best friend was like, “Amy, we have to be able to pass the FBI fitness test. Y’know, for fun. Also job security since we’re graduating.”

I foolishly agreed, thinking that it couldn’t be that hard. I work out, and I’m also currently training for my third half-marathon (in part because this guy I like asked me to run it with him #priorities).

The first part of the FBI fitness test is 60 seconds worth of sit-ups. Easy. Doing yoga has its benefits.

Second task: 60 seconds worth of push-ups. I was able to get through about one push-up before collapsing, and could only get through 30 seconds of knees-on-the-ground push-ups. Clearly my upper body strength needs work.

Third task: a 300-meter sprint. That’s about 3/4 of the way around the track. Suffice to say my “sprint” was more of a “light jog.”

So while yes, I am in fairly good shape because of yoga and lifting, my endurance and upper body strength needs some serious work. My best friend and I want to be able to pass the test before winter.

While you may not be training for a life of adventure and mystique within the walls of the FBI like we are (or pretending to, anyways), it’s good to set goals you can actually measure.

If you don’t have fitness goals, you don’t have any indication of where you’re at now and if you will have made any progress six months from now.